NH town may hush motorcycles

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. — Now that New Hampshire’s Legislature has killed a bill to muzzle noisy motorcycles, the town of North Hampton may take matters into its own hands.

Voters are being asked to pass an ordinance requiring permanent stickers on post-1982 motorcycle exhausts indicating they meet federal environmental standards. The article, aimed at regulating motorcycle noise, was brought to the town by petition.

First-time offenders could be fined up to $500 and subsequent violations would bring fines of $500 to $1,000.

The issue’s also come up next door in Maine.

Earlier this year, a bill to cut back on motorcycle noise was modified to require that inspection stickers be displayed as of 2012.